Sheet-metal sign



March 18, 1930. A, A, KRAMER 1,750,894

SHEET METAL SIGN Filed Feb. 28, 1927 Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNrrs Ns News i e .Arsm Fries ANDREW A, KRAMER, oFpKANsAs CITY,- ivirssounr sHmir-ivrn'rfir.Y SIGN o l Application 'led February 28, 1927. Serial No. 171,614.

My invention relates to signs, and more particularly to filling station signs.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a sign having a frame portion and a panel,

5. and means for holding said panel and frameis made of a single piece of'niaterial and is -7 provided with a panel receiving portion and a footfportion, whereby the sign-may be supported upon the ground or some other supporting surface, although if desired the frame may be provided' with means-adapted' to be driven into the ground to support the sign in an upright position.l

It is another purpose of my invention to provide a sign member' having a frame comprising a grooved portion adapted to re- 2 ceive the edge portion of a sheet metal panel memberY anda foot portion adapted to en-l gage'the ground or other supporting surface in such a manner that the sign will be held stablyin upright `position even in a strong wind. Y

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds. I' desire to `have it understood, however, that I donot intend to limit myself to the details of construction shown or described, but that I intend to include as part of Vmy invention, all such obvious changes and modifications of parts as would occur to a person skilled in this art, andas would fall within the scope ofthe claims. n

In the drawings: Fig. l is a perspective view of the preferred form of' sign, made in accordance with my invention;y p .f

Fig. 2 is a section thereof taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is aview similar to f other form of the invention;

Fig. 1 of an- F ig. 4 is-a section'on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; f

Fig. 5 is a side` elevation of one of they clamp members and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary still another form of sign.

Referring in detail. tov the drawings, inv Figs. land 2 is shown a. sign ir'iembervcom-V prising a frame member having a. substan-V side elevation` of tially centrally disposed loop formed panel p carrying portion 10, said panel carrying portion being' provided with a. deep relatively narrow groove or.v slot 11 receiving the circumferential edge portion 12 of' the panel 13. The groove or Vslot 1,'1A `is preferably ofV 651 such a width as to substantially. snuglyn re. ceive the edge of the panelI member 13, which is preferably made of sheet metal. The framev member is preferably'made of a bar Vof iron thatsis square in crossy section., although any.' 70 other desired. cross section shape bar maybe used, and the groove is cut into the same only` in the panel engaging portion thereof; W hile the panel engaging loop is shown as being substantially. circular 'in shape in the drawings, 75 it obviously could be madey of any shape desired without departing from the invention.

- -In the form shown the'panel engaging portion is substantiallyin the form offaf split ring with the vertically extending clamping portions 14 depending therefrom in substantially face-to-face, parallel relationship. Any suitableclamping means such as the .bolts`15 may be provided for holding the clamping' portions in engagement with each other and to clamp the panel member 13 in position within the panel carrying portion 10. vThe portions 14 have opposite faces the adjacent faces engaging with each other and the remote facesbeing engaged by the clamping means and comprising clamping faces on. said portions. The panel 13is, lof course,y inserted before the bolts 15 are putin place.

From the clamping portions 14 the inclined frame portions 16 diverge in opposite directions, yextending substantially in align-: ment with the panel 13. rl`he lower ends of the portions 16 are curved downwardlyas shown at 17 and are then bent in opposite` directionstransversely of theplanefofE the jj panell'13 insmooth curves 18 joining the panel'13. Each of saidfoot portions com prises an`elongatedclosedloop portion havling an upper, upwardly bowed portion 19A divergingp'ortions'16,with the lfoot portions,` which extend'` transversely of the plane of the 'e connectedy with alower, upwardly .,bowed portionrk 20 rbyy means of thearcuatejconnect.-

ing portion 2l.` The upwardlybowedportion'20 has an extension 22 thatcurves downwardly beyond the curved'portion 18 on substantially the same are as the upwardly bowed portion thereof. V.Thus two"bearing portions are provided fordeachfootportion, onel substantiallyat the extremity of the loopedl portion thereof, Las indicated at. 23 f v in Fig.v 1 and-the'othersubstantially Vat'the Vfree end '24. thereof,.as indicated at25. .Thus Sign..

a' four `point support is provided for. the which makes itextremely stable. t

AAs' the panel iscla'inped. tightly in the muchas the saine can be readily assembled y'and aplurality thereof can be easily nested for shipment. Y

c' Instead of tionthe portion 10 of then frame is made as previously described, except that slot 8 is.

provided therein, saidv `slot v8 extending substantiallyhalf way around the portion 11W-toVv permit fthe assembly of rthe panel 13V inthe groove in said members 10.. 1 by Asliding the same intoy position askshown in Fig. 3. A` "1 f threaded hole 9 is provided inthe member V10` forthe reception ofv a set screw or otherv Y similarwmeniberf for*` holdingthej; panel in fixed position iii-thegroove. Inste'adnof;A merely extending the: vertically extending, vportions downwardlylaportion of' theA dis# t-anceto the supporting surface, las-.in p the previously described'form, the portions 14 extend tothe foot portions of the frame, beingbent outwardly in opposite directions to Vform .the transversely j extending support-L ingyportions 26.i From the portions 26 the portions l27 extend inf opposite directions and Y at rightiangles thereto, said portions 27 teurY initiating 1in thefend portionsi28 extending" atiright angles to the portions 27;.ai'id 'paral-y lel'togthe' portions 261 Abroad bearing sur-A faceffor the foot portion of the sign-"is thus i' Y, v s Instead of` using.vv bolts for' holding y'the memb'erslifin face-toaface'engagement and` the.. panel 13 clamped within 'the frame Yportion 10, aY clamp made up ofa pair of mem-y bers 29 and-30 may bev provided forthis' pur-` pose. The portions 14 have oppositely dis-V posed clamping faces and engaging faces similar to the portions 14 previously described;r The membery29 is` providedwith hook lflangesl that are adapted to;be engagedwith the hook flanges 32 on'the' member30 by a movement of the members length-A i wise relatively tov eachother. The flanges 33 are preferably'inclined slightly to. obtain a wed'ging' action thereof, 'being shown as be-V`v r ing farther from the body portion ofpmemn vber 29 at the ends 3.4 thereof than at the ends 35. yThus the use of bolts' maybe eliminated,

if desired;A` InFigdfG'the foot portion of thek sign is formed byextending the depending verticallyv extending members 14. straight 'down from the portion 10 thatreceives the;

panel 13, and tapering the-ends thereof to -K form the Vpoint 36, vwhich facilitatesfdriving the foot portion into the ground? Thejotherl` i parts in Fig. .6 are substantially thesame as previously describedandbear the'samejreference numerals, 'the members 14v having the opposite engaging and .clamping'faces pre-"j viouslyv described. VIn each form ofthe .in-

vention they clamping means is disposed between the inner or loopportion of the sign1` frame and the outer or supporting foot'fend Having thus described my invention, what.

portion thereof and thev engagingfaces ofi v,the vertical portions vextend transverselyxof forming the frame as described I above,vr the frame may be formed with'a foot portion of other shapes Vone Vlofy whichisV .n shownin Fig. 3. Inthis form-of the inven- I desire-to claimfand secure'by United States Letters Patent is t l. A sign of thecharacter described, coni-Y' prising a panel member' and' a frame comprising Aa panel carrying portion` andV asup'-v Y porting portion, @said `supporting portion` comprising vertical! portions, portions -exig tending outwardly therefrom in. opp'ositejdifS rections and portions extending substantial-- `ly transversely of the plane ofthe said panel e member on opposite sides thereof and spaced f from vsaid vertical portionsto ,provide foot lportions having ends spaced from-allother portions of said frame,

A 'sign of the character described, .comf.

porting portion. said.,V supporting .portion saidpanel member andv comprising free end portions spaced said frame.

-prising a panel inemberand aframe comprising a panel carrying portion and a 'supe Vfrom all other portions, of Y 3, A sign of the ChalaCter described, coni-l i prising a panel member anda frame forfsu'p- 'porting said panel member, said'frame com.;

prising a portion extending about said panel,

depending therefrom and spaced footpoi',- tions connected therewith, and extending on opposite sides of said panel, each of said foot portions comprising an upwardly bowed portion engaging a supporting surface adjacent the opposite ends thereof. v 1

la A sign of tlie character described, comprising a panel member and a frame for supporting` said panel member, said frame comprising a portion extending aboutl said' panel, substantially verticallyextending portions depending therefrom and spaced foot portions connected therewith, each of said foot portions having supporting surface engaging portions adjacent the opposite ends thereof lying on opposite sides of the panel, to provide a four point support for said sign.

5. A sign of the character described, coinprising a panel member and a frame for supporting said panel member, said frame coniprising a portion extending about said panel, substantially vertically extending portions depending therefrom and vspaced foot portions connected therewith. each of said foot portions comprising a doubled back loop portion lying in substantially a vertical plane, said loop portions extending in opposite directions.

6. A sign of the character described, coni` prising a panel member and a frame for supporting said panel member, said frame comprising a portion extending about said panel, substantially vertically extending portions depending therefrom and spaced foot portions connected therewith, each of said foot portions comprising a doubled back loop portion having a normal tendency to assume a closed loop form and an extension beyond said loop portion.

7. A sign of the character described, coinprising a panel member, a frame having a loop-like portion provided with a panel receiving groove, substantially vertically extending portions extending therefrom in face-to-face engagement andv laterally extending integral foot portions, and securing means for holding said vertically extending portions in face-to-face engagement anlL clamping the edge portion of said panel in fixed position in said groove.

8. A sign of the character described, comprising a panel member, aV frame having a loop-like portion provided with a panel receiving groove, substantially vertically extending portions extending therefrom in face-to-face engagement, portions diverging downwardly therefrom and transversely extending foot portions thereon, each engaging a supporting surface at spaced points. n

9. A sign having a frame comprising upright portions and foot portions connected therewith, said foot portions each having an upstanding loop-like` portion having a normal tendency to assume a closedloop position and vbeing bowed upwardly to engagea supporting surface at spaced points.

l0. A sign of the character described, comprising a panel member, a framehaving a. loop-like portion provided with a panel receiving groove, portions v extending downwardly4 therefrom and engaging with each other, portions diverging downwardly therefrom and transversely extending foot portions thereon each engaging a supporting surface at spaced points.

11. A sign of the character described, comprising a panel member land a frame for supporting said panel member, said frame comprising a portion extending about said panel, portions depending therefrom and engaging with each other and spaced foot portions connected therewith, said foot portions engagnga supportat points spaced in the direction of the plane of the panel and lying on opposite sides of said plane to Vstabilize said signv and having end portions spaced a substantial distance' from the depending portions to provide lateral openings in the base so as to permit nesting of a plurality of said signs.

l2. A sign of the character described coinprising a sheet metal panel member, a frame comprising a loop-like portion having a deep, narrow groove on the inner face therelof extending around said panel member, said groove snugly receiving the edge portion of said panel, and a supporting portion extending outwardly from said loop-like portion, said supporting portion comprising portions of the frame extending substantially in pai'- a'llelism and lying side by side in a direction parallel to the face of the panel and having n flat engaging faces extending transversely to the face of the panel and clamping faces opposite said engaging yfaces and clamping means engaging said clamping faces for securing said flat faces firmly in face to face engagementV between the outer ends of lsaid supporting portions and said loop-like portions and holding said loop-like portion in panel embracing position.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of February, 1927.

ANDREW A. KRAMER. 

